RAFA BENITEZ was met by an extraordinary hail of abuse from Chelsea fans as he took his seat for his first game in charge, but Petr Cech pleaded: “Give the man a chance.”

The Spaniard saw his new team grind out a goalless draw against Manchester City that left them five points off the

top of the table.

But former Liverpool manager Benitez, appointed on Thursday and vilified by Blues supporters for jibes he made about them when he was at Anfield, was met by a chorus of booing from all around the ground when he walked out in scenes almost unprecedented in British football, that lasted several minutes.

Fans sang: “**** off Benitez, you’re not wanted here” and “There’s only one Di Matteo” in tribute to the man he replaced last week.

There were numerous banners, one saying “Rafa Out” and another “In Di Matteo we trusted and loved. We will never love and trust Benitez. Fact.”

But, after a grim war of attrition made it five league games without a win, Chelsea keeper Cech said: “Benitez is here to try to change things, put us in a winning mode and needs to be able to prove he deserves the

Benitez is here to try to change things, put us in a winning mode

Petr Cech

chance.”

Benitez, who is on a six-month contract until the summer, said: “I am focused on the game, I don’t listen to the crowd. I don’t understand what they say.

“The fans, apart from that, were with the team. They will be with the team and hopefully with me in the next games because I will do a professional job and try to win. I was asking, ‘What are they singing?’ I don’t care.

"I want to change the perception. How? By working hard. Yes, there were banners.

"But how many people do you need to write a banner? Just one. Then two holding it. If we start winning games, they

will come on board.”

An unhappy City manager Roberto Mancini said: “I’m not satisfied with one point. We played well, but we can’t

lose two points like that.

“I can understand it’s not easy for the new manager.

"But he’s a good manager and he will have time to show this. He needs to win, win, win. Only results can help.”